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Bill would remove city protections for Ashe Juniper trees

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:14 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A short bill filed by Texas Rep. Ellen Troxclair, R-Austin, would remove municipal protections for Ashe Juniper trees across Texas, a move that ecologists warn could have a serious impact on Central Texas.House Bill 2239 would amend a section of state law that currently only prevents municipalities from preventing the removal of diseased, dead or dangerous trees. Troxclair's bill simply adds the Ashe Juniper to the list. Why can’t we get rid of the trees that cause ‘cedar fever?’ "Just as Ashe Juniper pollen notoriously drifts across Texas each spring, restrictive local policies tend to spread unless stopped," Troxclair said. "Some Texans are already facing a complicated bureaucratic nightmare for just wanting to manage their own land. HB 2239 would let Texas’ private property owners make their own decisions about what grows on their property."Referring to the native plant as overabundant and "almost an invasive species," Troxclair hopes their removal cou...

Austin ISD pride week concludes but not without pushback from a lawmaker

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:14 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – The Austin Independent School District closes out its pride week Saturday. Each day this week, the district has put on different pride-themed activities, culminating in an event this Saturday with a keynote speaker, food trucks and a student dance. Eliza Layola, principal of Menchaca Elementary School for nearly a decade, said celebrating the week is especially important in Central Texas. “It's actually not about the event or even the week — it's about the things that we do every day to message to our students, our families and our staff that they have a place within our school and within our community,” Layola said.  Layola said bills affecting trans Texans being looked at in the Texas legislature are “terrifying.” She said some families with trans children in the district feel a sense of unease.  MORE: LGBTQ+ advocates rally against Texas bills affecting trans people “That's one area that I feel really strongly about in terms of making sure that our students and ...

Gorgeous weekend weather until clouds increase on Sunday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:14 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Following a wet start to the day Friday, clear skies and low humidity have returned on a breezy west wind. Live updated rainfall totals Clear skies and dry air will allow for chilly mornings this weekend, with temperatures in the 40s in colder rural valleys. Saturday morning forecast temperaturesDaytime highs will be warm, and low humidity will make for comfortable conditions. Clouds will increase on Sunday along with a slim 10% chance of a rain shower, but both days look pleasant for outdoor plans.A cool front early next week will lead to overall cooler and more comfortable weather than we saw last week. Low rain chances are in the forecast every day next week.7-day high temperature forecast in Austin BLOG: April showers: Here's the outlook for Central Texas FIRST WARNING WEATHER: Stay up to date with your Central Texas forecast, sign up for our weather newsletter at kxan.com/newsletters Stay up-to-date with the First Warning Weather teamFollow the KXAN First W...

Amber Alert for missing Robinson girl canceled

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:14 GMT

Robinson (FOX 44/KWKT) -- The Texas Department of Public Safety has ended the Amber Alert for a 14-year-old girl from Robinson. DPS says the teen has been found.Police said the teenager left home voluntarily with a young woman Thursday afternoon. She was last seen in the 500 block of Celeste Drive.Police are not saying at this time where the girl was found or anything about the woman she originally left with.

Woodbury man sentenced in fatal shooting outside Como Park bar

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:14 GMT

A Woodbury man has been given a 22-year prison sentence for killing a man in the parking lot of a bar in St. Paul’s Como Park neighborhood in 2021.Kenwan Deshawn Hunter (Courtesy of Ramsey County sheriff’s office)A Ramsey County jury in January convicted Kenwan Deshawn Hunter, 29, of second-degree unintentional murder for the killing of Glenn Danen Smith, 27, after Smith and another man had been fighting. Jurors acquitted Hunter of second-degree intentional murder, while also finding him guilty of possession of a firearm by an ineligible person.District Judge Laura Nelson sentenced Hunter on Thursday. Hunter was given credit for 575 days already served in custody.According to the charges, at about 12:50 a.m. Aug. 16, St. Paul police officers responded to Ted’s Recreation at 1084 Larpenteur Ave. and found two people attempting to help Smith, who was in the back seat of a Buick LaCrosse. Smith, of Minneapolis, was unresponsive and was pronounced dead at the scene.From mult...

St. Paul’s early childhood grant proposal could move to ballot — but probably not this year

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:14 GMT

Members of a committee composed of nearly two dozen educators and community advocates asked the St. Paul City Council this week to consider proposing a ballot question to pay for childcare and early education grants. But they didn’t specify when it would go on the ballot — at least not with a united voice.That’s heightened the possibility that if a St. Paul ballot question around funding childcare grants with property taxes moves forward to voters, it may not be this year.Adding to that likelihood is the neutral-to-lukewarm reception from the mayor’s office, which has yet to publicly back the proposal in light of competing projects. St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter wants to triple the city sales tax in order to reconstruct the city’s poorly-aging arterial streets and pay for parks projects, and getting that effort on the ballot remains his priority.“We are laser-focused on our sales tax proposal,” said Kamal Baker, a spokesperson for Carter̵...

March Madness: Sweet 16 underway from NYC to Las Vegas

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:14 GMT

By The Associated PressMarch Madness has reached Sweet 16 weekend. Two No. 1 seeds, Kansas and Purdue, are already gone along with millions of busted brackets and a host of bluebloods including Kentucky, Duke, Indiana and UCLA. Here is what to know:GAMES TO WATCHNo. 3 Kansas State (26-9) vs. No. 9 Florida Atlantic (34-3), Saturday, 6:09 p.m. (TBS)Storylines abound. One might think all eyes will be on Wildcats guard Markquis Nowell after his 20-point, NCAA Tournament-record 19 assist performance in the regional semifinal, with much of that coming on an ankle he turned early in the second half. Will one day’s rest be enough for the Wildcats’ diminutive (5-foot-8) maestro? The Conference USA-champion Owls, playing in just their second tourney, will be hoping to sing “New York, New York” with their fans one more time at Madison Square Garden, as they did after stunning Tennessee. K-State was picked to finish last in the Big 12. The Owls hit timely 3s against the ...

Indigenous Mascot Advisory Council's review process

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:14 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (WTEN) -- The State Education Departments decision to remove Native American imagery in school mascots, logos and team names has come with some backlash. A school district in Mohawk Valley submitted a document to NYSED in an attempt to keep their mascot name as the “Braves” but that request was rejected. Our Capitol correspondent, Amal Tlaige spoke with someone from the Indigenous Mascot Advisory Council who explained how and who helps make those decisions.  Glens Falls down to four school mascot options The Board was created after NYSEDS mandate and have met twice so far.  While they don't have the final say in approving or rejecting school mascot imagery, NYSED does heavily take into consideration what they have to say. "People are more passionate about their native mascots, than anything else. You’ll never hear people say ‘Oh I was a bear and I’m always gonna be a bear for the rest of my life,’ but we hear that constantly with any of these native names o...

Supporting the Red Cross mission

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:14 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- On Friday March 31, hundreds will gather at Albany's Capital Center for a major fundraiser to continue the life-saving work of the Red Cross in our area. It's a benefit for an organization that you never know when it might benefit you.   It only takes 15 minutes to donate a pint of blood that can end up saving three lives. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Kevin Coffey, Regional CEO American Red Cross of Eastern New York, notes, "Every two seconds someone needs lifesaving blood products, that could be someone who's battling cancer who needs platelets, or a young mother giving birth, you never know when you might need blood, but the need is constant."Cheryl Cannon knows that constant need all too well. Her son received transfusions every three weeks after suffering a stroke at the age of 3 1/2, "Blood transfusions were crucial, a crucial form of treatment for my son and if it wasn't for the regular blo...

Denver man sentenced to 20 years in prison for attempted murder, assault and strangulation of girlfriend

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:14 GMT

A Denver man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for the assault and strangulation of his girlfriend.Thomas Garcia, 41, was sentenced March 17 after the body of 38-year-old Karen Morales was found inside a residence in the 2500 block of South University Boulevard, according to the Denver District Attorney’s Office.On Jan. 23, 2020, Garcia called 911 to report that Morales was not breathing after “they had gotten into a fight,” according to a DA’s office news release.Emergency responders found Morales, deceased, laying on a mattress, a ligature mark across her neck, prosecutors said. She had bruises on her face and a laceration on her forehead. A belt was underneath her neck and tangled into her hair. Physical evidence indicated she had likely been dead for an extended time.On Jan. 17 a jury convicted Garcia of attempted murder, first-degree assault — strangulation, and second-degree assault, all felonies, according to the release. An initial charge...